History

21 Ara 1930

The Swedish archaeologist Alfred Westholm was preparing to return to Nicosia where he was to spent Christmas with the rest of the team of the Swedish Expedition to Cyprus

The Swedish archaeologist Alfred Westholm was preparing to return to Nicosia where he was to spent Christmas with the rest of the team of the Swedish Expedition to Cyprus:

I went up to Vouni today to inspect the finished reparation work and see to the payments. It is so divinely beautiful on Vouni now that I could barely tear myself away. On the way there I swam at Mersinaki and lay for at least a couple of hours basking naked on the beach. It is probably the last time I shall swim this year.

On Tuesday, the day before Christmas Eve, I go in to Nicosia where Erik and John are expecting me. There is so incredibly much to do here before I can leave, but I shall just have to dig in and minimise my nights’ sleep today and tomorrow. There is so much all around besides the scholarly work: Uneasy farmers and landowners who need to be calmed with kind assertiveness, police supervision for the winter, cars, transports and packing, the work at Vouni, accounting for money here and there and as I am alone with only Anatolians, you understand that I must wind the spring up tightly if the whole clockwork is not to become terribly delayed. Erik is as usual touchingly helpful to the extent that he can be so when away from Nicosia, and I am in excellent form myself to keep everything running so there is really no worry. The indescribable unity and cohesion within our expedition is our strength and it has made it possible for us to really accomplish something great.